Railroad cattle-gate.



W. G. KING.

RAILROAD CATTLE GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

-avwe/wtbz We. K ma Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CID-.WASI'IING'LON. D. C.

WILLIAM G. KINGQOF AUSTIN, ARKANSAS.

RAILROAD CATTLE-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Application filed July 9, 1913. Serial No. 778,205.

To allcohom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. KING, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Austin, in the county of Lonoke and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Cattle- Gates, of which the'following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railroad gates and more particularly to railroad cattle gates, the object of the invention being to provide a gate of the above character which is automatically opened upon the approach of a train and closed after the train has passed through the gate.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a gate of this character which will possess advantages in points of efliciency and durability, is inexpensive of manufacture and at the same time is simple in construction and operation.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the gates in their closed position; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the gates; Fig. at is a top plan view of the actuating plate; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken through one of the track rails and the movable rail, illustrating the manner of retaining the movable rail in itsnormal position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the main track rails which are suitably supported upon the cross ties 2. Arranged in longitudinal parallel relation with one of the track rails is a stationary rail 3, which is disposed upon the inner side of the track rail. Arranged in parallel relation with the opposite track rail is a movable rail 4, which is provided at intervals with suitable sockets 5 which are adapted to receive the ends of the operatinglevers 6. The opposite ends of the levers 6 are pivotally connected to the bell cranks 7, said bell cranks being alternately mounted upon the cross ties 2 for pivotal movement and having their opposite ends connected in any suitable manner to the adjustable rods 8.

It Will be readily understood that the arms of the bell cranks 7 to which the operating levers 6 are secured may be so constructed that they Will be increased in length according to the distance between said bell cranks and the turn plate 10. That is, the

farther away from the turn plate the bell cranks are located, the longer the arm will be that is secured to the lever 6. From this it will be seen that the gates will be opened slowly instead of with a sudden jerk.

v Mounted within the rods 8 are the turn buckles 9 which are adapted to be actuated to adjust the rods 8, when desired. The inner ends of the rods 8 are loosely connected to opposite sides of the turn plate 10. This plate is preferably mounted midway between the ends of the movable rail 4 and the stationary rail 3. Mounted upon the rods 8 adj acent their inner ends are the plates or stops 11. Suitable guide plates 12 are secured to the cross ties 2 and through which the operating rods areadapted to be inserted to hold the same against lateral movement. Mounted upon the rods 8 and arranged between the guide plates 12 and the stops 11 are the coil springs 13 which are adapted to retain the plate 10 in its normal position. plate 10 terminates at opposite'ends thereof into the arms 14: to the outer ends of which are loosely connected the rods 15 which form a connection between the plate 10 and the curved arms 16 upon the lower ends of the gate posts 17 The gate posts are each rota-.

tably mounted upon a suitable base 18 at one side of which is formed an upright supporting post 19, each of said posts being provided at its upper end with an angular portion 20 having an opening adapted to receive the upper end of the gate posts 17. The gate posts 17 carry suitable gate members 21, which in their closed position, are adapted to close the passage over the track between the posts. It will be apparent from the drawings that the arms 16 are curved in an opposite direction so that upon the rotation of t-he'plate 10,the gates 21 willbe swung outwardly away from each other.

The rail sections 3 and 1 are provided at The i each end thereofwith the inwardly curved this movement actuating the levers 6 and the bell cranks 7 which will pull outwardly upon the operating rods 8 and rotate the plate 10. The rotation of the plate 10 will rotate the gate posts 17 through the medium of the rods 15 and the arms 16, which will swing the gate members 21 away from each other.

Mounted in the rails at and 1 are the transverse bolts 23 upon the inner ends of which are arranged the stops 2 1-. Mounted upon the bolts and arranged between the side portions of the rail 4 and the stops 24, are the coil springs 25 which are adapted to return the rail 4 to its normal position after the train has passed through the gates. The supporting posts 19 which retain the gate posts in their upright operative position, are suitably braced by means of the members 26, the lower ends of which are bolted or otherwise secured to the end of one of the cross ties while the upper ends thereof are suitably secured to the posts 19. The movable rail 4 is suitably mounted upon the supporting plates 27 which will bring the upper surface of the rail 4 slightly above the tread of the track rails.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that I have provided a simple and durable apparatus for operating railroad cattle gates. It will also be apparent that after the train has passed through the ends of the movable rail t the same is returned to its normal. position, and the coil springs 13 will assist in returning the operating levers (3 and bell cranks 7 to their normal position. It will also be apparent that the device is extremely simple in construction and can be manufactured at comparatively low cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be plate arranged between the track rails,

means connecting said plate with the swinging gates, and means actuated by the mov able rail for rotating said plate and swingingsaid gates to an open position, said movable rail being actuated by the wheel flanges when approaching a train.

2. A device of the class described includ- (myths of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

plate, and means actuated by the movable rail for operating said bell cranks to rotate the plate and swing the gates to an open position, said movable rail being actuated by the wheel flanges of an approaching train.

3. A device of the class described includ ing main track rails, a movable rail arranged in parallel relation with one of the track rails, said movable rail being provided upon its inner face and at intervals with socket members, operating levers having one end arranged within said sockets, pivoted bell cranks arranged between the track rails and having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said lever, a turning plate arranged between the track rails, swinging gates normally arranged across the track rails and connected with the turning plate, said. levers being actuated by the movable rail to operate the bell cranks, and means connecting the bell cranks with the turning plate whereby the turning plate will be rotated to swing the said gates to an open position.

4. A device of the class described including main track rails, a movable rail arranged in parallel relation with one of the track rails, swinging gates upon opposite sides of the track rails and arranged transversely across the same, a turning plate, means connecting said plate with the swinging gates, bell crank levers mounted for pivotal movement between the track rails, guide plates arranged between the track rails and upon opposite sides of the turning plate, an operating rod connecting said plate with the bell cranks and arranged within said guide plates, stops arranged upon said rod, coil springs arranged between the guide plates and said stops, means actuated by the movable rail for operating the bell cranks and rotating said plate to swing the gate to an open position, said plate being returned to its operative position by the tension of the coil springs on the operating rods, and said movable rail being actuated by the wheel flanges of an approaching train.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

l VILLIAM G. KING.

Witnesses H. P. KmKrArRIoK, Ones E. REED.

Washington, D. G. 

